Chapter 7: The Strength of Our Hearts

It took Alec what felt like ages to wade through the mire of burning brimstone he'd been trapped in for so long. But eventually he somehow escaped into a numbing void, cold and quiet. The emptiness stretched around him, and he lingered there for a bit, just relieved to have a respite from the torture. Valentine's whispers couldn't reach him here.

He was tired, and though he wasn't really moving, the abyss itself seemed to be sliding beneath him, like a glass river carrying him farther and farther away from the echoes of fire and malevolent voices. He should probably just let it.

A spark flickered in the dark, then steadily grew. Alec watched it with mild detachment, until it flared brighter and started to come closer, and he was afraid the hellfire was coming for him again.

"Alec," it spoke into the void, and his parabatai rune began to glow warm.

He squinted against the harsh glare. "Jace?"

Like an angel stepping out of a sun, his parabatai emerged, wreathed in blazing white light that framed his silhouette in a halo of abstract wings. It almost hurt to look at him.

"Alec, come back."

He frowned. Back that way was fire and agony and corruption seeking to undo his soul. He glanced over his shoulder at the peaceful darkness, and shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know…"

"Do you trust me?" Jace asked earnestly.

"Of course." Alec didn't even have to think about it.

Jace held out his hand to him. Alec wavered, though he couldn't say why. Fear that this was just some sort of mind game? Whether by Valentine's drugs or his own desperate mind clawing at itself for salvation.

"Entreat me not to leave thee," Jace said, his tone and eyes pleading. "Or to return from following after thee."

Alec's heart clenched, and he took a deep breath. "For whither thou goest, I will go," he recited.

Even through the fire.

He moved forward to clasp his brother's arm, and the moment he did, that blazing nova behind Jace surged forward to envelop them in a cascading swirl of light and heat. Unlike the scorching flames from before, though, this was warm and secure and…cleansing.

Alec felt himself sink into the soothing embrace. He couldn't see Jace anymore through the divine radiance, but he felt him. His brother's stalwart and unwavering presence was all around him, like a shield. Like a guardian angel. Peace lulled Alec into a restful sleep.

The next time he woke, it was to heavy limbs and the scent of fresh linen. He pried his eyelids open with great effort, blinking at the smudged blobs of his surroundings. It took a moment for his vision to gradually clear, and when it did, he recognized the ceiling and walls of his bedroom at the Institute.

He started to shift, and bit back a wince at the slightest movement. He ached all over, though at least it was a dull pain now instead of the spears of lightning from before. And though he was pretty sure he'd been sleeping for a long while, he still felt utterly spent.

His gaze drifted down to a head of dark wavy hair pillowed on the side of his bed. "Izzy," he whispered, lifting a hand weakly to touch her head.

She startled awake and whipped her gaze toward him. "Alec," she breathed, clasping his hand between hers. "Oh, thank the angel."

His brow furrowed a fraction as he took in her ragged appearance: the dark circles under her eyes and the tangles in her unwashed hair. She wasn't even wearing makeup.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

Izzy shook her head in what looked like fond exasperation. "I'm fine." She gave him a tired smile. "I'm clean now, Alec. We both are."

It took his brain another moment to put that together, and when it did, he felt a wave of regret. "Iz, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she squeezed his hand tighter. "No, Alec, you have nothing to apologize for. You tried to help, and I wouldn't let you. I was the one who let my addiction get the better of me, and because of that, I wasn't there when you needed me."

Alec shook his head against the pillow. "I'm glad you weren't at the Institute. You could have been killed."

Izzy sighed. "Well, the important thing is we're both going to be okay."

Alec felt a faint tug in his side, and immediately looked toward the door as Jace came into the room. Relief washed through him. He could feel their bond again.

Jace's eyes were shining with equal elation. "Welcome back."

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you."

Jace smiled. "You did the hard part. You held on." They reached for each other's hand simultaneously, clasping in fervent solidarity. Alec still felt an echo of warm, radiant, light. And the shadows of Valentine Morgenstern were silent.

Isabelle sat by her brother's bedside and carded her fingers through his hair. He'd drifted off into a peaceful sleep not long after waking up, still exhausted from his ordeal. Those horrible black veins were completely gone, signaling that the poison had at last been purged.

From both of them.

"How are you holding up?" Jace asked softly.

"Okay," she replied, then shrugged. "It's gonna be one day at a time for a while."

She'd come clean to Jace about the yin fen addiction after she'd gotten through the worst of the withdrawal and they'd learned that Alec's vitals were finally starting to improve. Clary was right, she didn't have to do this on her own.

"How about you?" she asked.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't really know what to make of everything that's happened." His mouth thinned, and he lowered his voice. "Valentine told me I'm not his son, that Clary's not my sister."

Isabelle's brows shot upward. "What? How can you be sure he wasn't lying?"

"Truth sword."

She shook her head in dismay. Of all the things to lie about, and the demon blood…Valentine really was a sick, twisted bastard.

"Have you told Clary yet?"

Jace inhaled sharply. "No. And I'm not going to."

"What? Why not? She deserves to know the truth."

Jace shook his head staunchly. "You know, she's lost so much. She's got a good thing going with Simon. They're even out on a real date right now since he's immune to daylight. You know I wouldn't wanna ruin that."

Isabelle shot him a dry look. "You think you're so irresistible she's gonna dump him as soon as she finds out you're not related?"

Jace rolled his eyes. "Let's stop worrying about my love life and focus on more important matters."

Isabelle smirked, but gave him an adoring smile. "Alec and I are gonna be fine."

Jace's eyes went to their brother, still sleeping deeply. "I know." He came around the foot of the bed and planted a kiss in her hair. "Get some rest."

Isabelle watched him leave, and then she crawled up onto the bed next to Alec and laid her head on his chest, letting the rhythm of his steady, strong, heartbeat lull her into a peaceful sleep.

Magnus stepped out of the portal and into the corridor outside his loft, overnight bag in hand. Alec exited after him.

"This really isn't necessary," the shadowhunter groused.

"You deserve a vacation, Alexander. You're still recovering."

"I feel fine." He let out a frustrated sound. "I can't believe I'm being exiled from the Institute."

Magnus smirked. "Yes, because a few days with me is such torture."

Alec huffed. "I'm sorry. Of course it will be nice to spend some time together. But I could have also gotten some work done if you'd let me pack some reports."

Magnus waggled a finger at him. "Sorry. I am under strict orders from your siblings that you are to take it easy."

Alec rolled his eyes.

Magnus's grin only widened. He was going to enjoy the challenge of making Alexander forget all about work…

He opened the doors of his loft with a snap of his fingers and strode inside, setting the duffel bag down next to the decorative cabinet. "By the way, there's a special someone who wanted to see you."

Alec quirked a confused brow, but at that moment, Madzie came bounding out of the back room, and ran straight into Alec's arms.

"Madzie!" he exclaimed, absolutely beaming at the sight of her, and he dropped down to one knee to swallow her whole in a massive hug. Magnus's heart was fit to burst.

"I'm sorry I listened to the bad man," she said.

Alec rubbed her back. "Oh, that's not your fault. He tricked you. But look, no harm done." He spread his arms to show her he was fine.

Madzie gave him a shy smile, then took his hand and started to tug him toward the living room. Magnus walked over to where Catarina was standing in the back, arms crossed and grinning as she watched warlock child and shadowhunter settle on the couch. Alec's face was radiant with one of the biggest smiles Magnus had ever seen on him as Madzie showed him her dolls and he asked her animated questions that had her giggling.

"He's not like most shadowhunters," Catarina commented.

Magnus smiled. "No, he's not. Alexander is a true angel if there ever was one."

And oh, how Magnus loved him. He had come so close to losing Alec, but the man he loved had a fire in him that could not be extinguished.

All of the Lightwood children did. Alec, Isabelle, Jace, and even Clary, had shown great courage and fortitude in the face of adversity.

And it made them stronger for it.

A/N: The end. ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are love.